£3.3m secondary schools' expansion to provide extra Year 7 places across North Northamptonshire to be discussed
12 August 2024
At the Executive meeting next week, Members will discuss the proposal to expand two existing Wellingborough secondary schools in a bid to address the growing number of Year 7 pupils across North Northamptonshire.
The current council's pupil projections indicate a significant deficit of Year 7 places across North Northamptonshire in September 2024 and beyond.
On Thursday 15 August, Members will discuss the proposal to spend £3,383,600, on expanding two schools.
One would be Wellingborough’s Wollaston School at a cost of £1,691,800. This would provide an additional 16 Year 7 Pupil places by September 2024, with an additional eight permanent places by September 2025.
The Council has liaised with the school and the Trust which runs it, who have confirmed they are able to accommodate the changes and agree to manage the proposed scheme if approved. To complete for the September 2024 intake, the project would need to start in August 2024 and be completed by September 2024.
Members will also discuss the expansion of Wrenn School at a cost of £1,691,800 to deliver 30 new Year 7 places. The Council has also liaised with the school and the Trust which runs it, who have confirmed they are able to accommodate the changes and agree to manage the proposed scheme if approved. To complete for the September 2025 intake, the project will need to start in September 2024 and be completed by September 2025.
The proposal addresses a resolution in solving the significant deficit of Year 7 places across North Northamptonshire. The increase of in-year applications has been impacting on all schools for several years now and this has reduced the available capacity to accommodate bulge and accept in year placements. This can only be good news if agreed.Cllr Scott Edwards - Executive Member for Children, Families, Education & Skills
All local authorities, as advised by the Department for Education, need to maintain surplus places across all schools to accommodate in year pressures, which sees no sign of abating but also to address parental preference and geography and demography in relation to distance to school, new developments.Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council
If approved, the funding agreement will be finalised and the schools will start the building work and procurement process as necessary and we can provide more opportunities for our young people to thrive in their communities.